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, WITNESSES F. A. THORNTON. SANITARY UDDER PROTECTOR. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20. 1918.

5 Patented July 29, 1919.

INVENTOR MM? 4 fiery/m ATTORNEY FLORENCE THORNTON, OF CORSICANA, TEXAS.

SANITARY nnnna-raorncron;

Specification of Letters Patent.

atented July 29, 1919.

Application filed March 20. 1918. Serial No. 223,604.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that I, FLORENCE A. THORN- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Corsicana, in the county of Navarro and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sanitary Udder-Protectors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in dairy appliances and more particularly to udder protectors.

The object of the invention is to provide a simply constructed and eflicient sanitary udder protector for milch cows to prevent contact of the udder with foreign matter and to keep it warm, thereby enhancing the comfort of the animal and improving the quality of the milk.

IVith the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the com bination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter de scribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing is repre sented a perspective view of the protector constitutingthis invention.

In the embodiment illustrated, an udder sack 1 is shown of a size to fit the udder of a cow and constructed of thin flexible rubber to render it moisture proof and to adapt it to snugly fit the udder, also to permit. it to expand as the udder fills. This sack 1 has teat pockets 2 depending from its bottom and positioned to receive the cows teats.

This sack is adapted to be secured in operative position by means of a harness composed of side straps 3 connected by stitching or otherwise to the sack at its diametrically opposite sides, bracing straps 4 being also connected with the sack and to the side straps. The side straps 3 are made of. a length suificient to extend up over the back of the cow and are provided with separable fasteners for detachably connecting the free ends thereof, a buckle 5 being here shown which preferably has a pad 5' arranged thereunder to protect the cows back against chafing.

Secured to the rear of the bag or sack 1 between the side straps 3 are hip straps 6, which are spacedfrom each other and from the side straps and are adapted to extend between the hind legs of the cow and to diverge, one passing over one hip of the cow and the other over the 0 er hip and connected respectively to theside straps 3, preferably'by buckles 7 or other detachable fastening means. When these straps are so posltioned and connected, the udder will be completely inclosed by the sack, the free edges of which contact with the body of the cow in such manner that nothing can touch the udder.

The straps 3 and 6 have arranged therein longltudinally yieldable inserts 8 which are preferably composed of strong flexible rubber, and which are designed to yield to permit the free movements of the cow when feeding.

This improved protector which is designed to be worn while the animal is in the stall or grazing in a field may be left in place at all times except during the milking of the animal, and it is of course understood that the sack or bag 1 will be made in different sizes to fit different sized udders. The straps 3 and 6 or the major portions thereof are preferably constructed of webbing, but not necessarily so, and by having the yieldable inserts 8 therein the movements of the cow will be accommodated, and hence the udder protector will not be uncomfortable or in any way lnterfere with the animals ordinary movements.

.From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertainsand while I have described the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made as are within the scope of the claimed invention.

I claim In a device of the class described, a sack composed of thin flexible rubber shaped to encompass and snugly fit the udder of a cow and having integral teat pockets, side straps secured to the upper edge of said sack at diametrically opposite points, bracing straps connected at one end with said sack on opposite sides of said side straps at points spaced arranged intermediately of the ends of both therefrom and connected at their other ends the side and rear straps. 10 to said side straps, rear straps secured at one In testimon whereof I affix my signature end to the sack between the side straps at in presence or two witnesses.

5 .pointsspaced from each other and from the FLORENCE A. THORNTON. straps and detaohably connected at their other Witnesses 1 ends to the side straps near the upper ends R. A. THORNTON,

thereof, and longitudinally yieldable inserts IVAH THORNTON. 

